As I traveled around the country this summer again and again I had the opportunity to participate in numerous worship gatherings.  Variously called emergent, alternative, ancient/future each for me was alike in one respect.  Again and again I found myself connecting with God in a unique and powerful way.  I thought it was just me.  Not so.

Sunday night was an opportunity to connect to God on my own home turf here in the Burg.  Through Missio Dei I did.  But not only me but others.  Following the service one of our congregation's middle aged members approached me.  I remember thinking here it comes.  Would she be upset with the music, all out no holds barred praise to God, the candles, the ancient images of Christ as he hung from the cross.  But as she got closer I could see the tears streaming down her face.  She mumbled how the Missio Dei experience had brought her closer to God than at in anytime in recent memory.  And as I both breathed a sigh of relief for the absence of criticism and mumbled "Thank you."  I thought to myself.  "Me too.  Me too."

Missio Dei is different but not different just to be different.  Missio Dei is different because it seeks to speak both the ancient language of faith in the modern language of a post-Christian world.  The only way to understand is to experience Missio Dei and, in so doing, experience the presence of Christ in whole new way.

Jack